The present invention relates generally to eggs and, more particularly, to devices for handling eggs.
Injections of various substances into avian eggs have been employed to decrease post-hatch mortality rates, increase the potential growth rates or eventual size of the resulting chicken, and even to influence the gender determination of the embryo. Similarly, injections of antigens into live eggs have been employed to incubate various substances used in vaccines which have human or animal medicinal or diagnostic applications. Examples of substances that have been used for, or proposed for, in ovo injection include vaccines, antibiotics and vitamins. In addition, removal of material from avian eggs has been employed for various purposes, such as testing and vaccine harvesting.
Examples of in ovo treatment substances and methods of in ovo injection are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,630 to Sharma et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,028,421 to Fredericksen et al., the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. The selection of both the site and time of injection treatment can also impact the effectiveness of the injected substance, as well as the mortality rate of the injected eggs or treated embryos. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,630 to Sharma et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,063 to Hebrank, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,038 to Sheeks et al., each of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Conventionally, devices for injecting eggs and for removing materials from eggs are configured to pierce and enter an egg along a generally vertical direction. Eggs are generally positioned in an upright, vertical orientation with the longitudinal axis of the egg substantially aligned with vertical. Conventional devices for injecting eggs and for removing materials from eggs may not be easily modifiable to permit injection/removal along a direction substantially different from vertical. Unfortunately, targeted portions of an egg may not be easily reached by conventional devices that are configured to enter an egg along a generally vertical direction.
In view of the above discussion, an apparatus for repositioning eggs from a vertical position to a horizontal position such that injection/removal of material into/from the side of the egg can occur is provided, and includes a cradle, an alignment member, and an orientation member. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the cradle has an inclined, arcuate surface with an upper portion, a lower portion, and opposite side portions. The arcuate surface upper portion is configured to receive an end of a generally vertically oriented egg and to cause the egg to slide toward the lower portion such that the egg is positioned on the lower portion in an inclined orientation. The alignment member is operably positioned adjacent the cradle and is configured to engage an egg positioned on the arcuate surface lower portion in an inclined orientation and to releasably secure the egg in a predetermined alignment relative to the cradle. The orientation member is operably positioned relative to the cradle, and is configured to urge an egg positioned on the lower portion in an inclined orientation to a generally vertical orientation after injection/removal of material into/from the egg has occurred.
In operation, an egg transfer device is configured to deliver a generally vertically oriented egg to the arcuate surface upper portion. The inclined configuration of the cradle arcuate surface causes the egg to slide downwardly to an inclined orientation on the arcuate surface lower portion. The alignment member is positioned in overlying, contacting relation with the egg, and movably secures the egg to a predetermined alignment relative to the cradle.
According to embodiments of the present invention, the alignment member has an aperture formed therethrough that is configured to receive one or more instruments extending from a device configured to inject material into an egg and/or to remove material from an egg. Accordingly, once the alignment member is in contacting relation with an egg, an injection/removal device is lowered downwardly toward the egg such that one or more instruments can be inserted through the aperture in the alignment member. After injecting material into the egg and/or removing material from the egg, the injection/removal device is raised upwardly away from the egg. The alignment member is then moved away from the egg.
Before the egg is removed from the cradle, the egg is repositioned to a generally vertical orientation via the orientation member, which extends upwardly from the cradle. According to embodiments of the present invention, the orientation member includes an elongated rod slidably positioned within the cradle and configured for reciprocal movement between retracted and extended positions. When moved to an extended position, the elongated rod extends upwardly and pushes against the egg to cause the egg to move to a generally vertical orientation (i.e., such that the egg is in a generally upright position on an end thereof). Once the egg is repositioned to a generally vertical orientation, a transfer device moves downwardly toward the upright egg, engages the egg, and removes the egg from the cradle.
According to embodiments of the present invention, a pair of spaced-apart retaining arms may be provided along the side portions of the cradle to help guide and/or stabilize an egg as it is urged to a generally vertical orientation by the orientation member. The retaining arms may also help prevent an egg from tipping to either side of the orientation member during operation thereof. The retaining arms also flex outwardly to accommodate large eggs, while at the same time providing support for narrow eggs. In addition, the retaining arms help to center an egg laterally on the cradle so that the long axis of the egg is aligned with the long axis of the cradle while the egg is in a generally horizontal position.
According to embodiments of the present invention, a method of reorienting an egg between generally vertical and generally horizontal orientations is provided. A generally vertically oriented egg is lowered such that an end thereof contacts an inclined surface. The egg is released so that it takes an inclined orientation in contact with the inclined surface. The egg is contacted with an alignment member that moves the egg from the inclined orientation to a generally horizontal orientation on a floor surface adjacent the inclined surface. After injection and/or removal of material from the egg, or after some other processing is performed on the egg, the alignment member is removed from contacting relation with the egg. The egg in the generally horizontal orientation is then contacted with an orientation member that urges the egg to a generally vertical orientation.
According to alternative embodiments of the present invention, an apparatus for reorienting an egg from a generally vertical orientation to a generally horizontal orientation includes a cradle having a first portion, and an adjacent, spaced-apart second portion. The first portion includes a pair of opposite, spaced-apart members with inclined upper ends. The second portion includes a pair of opposite, spaced-apart members with inclined upper ends. The inclined upper ends of the first portion are configured to receive an end of a vertically oriented egg and to cause the egg to slide downwardly such that the egg becomes positioned on the upper ends of the first and second portions in a generally inclined orientation. The second portion is configured for reciprocal movement between a retracted position and an extended position, and is configured to urge an egg positioned on the upper ends of the first and second portions to a generally vertical orientation when the second portion is moved to the extended position.
Embodiments of the present invention may be advantageous because eggs can be repositioned from a vertical orientation to a horizontal (or other inclined) orientation, and then returned to a vertical orientation, quickly and easily. As such, certain targeted areas within an egg may be reached with greater accuracy and efficiency. Moreover, conventional injection/removal devices and systems may be easily adapted to incorporate embodiments of the present invention. In addition, embodiments of the present invention may be advantageous because the air cell within an egg can be maintained at the xe2x80x9ctopxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cupperxe2x80x9d portion of an egg as the egg is repositioned from a generally vertical orientation to a horizontal (or other inclined) orientation, and then returned to a generally vertical orientation.